Suckers in Virginia tobacco are chemically controlled by using two main types of substances: contacts (fatty alcohols, such as n-decanol) and systemics, such as maleic hydrazide (MH).
Fatty alcohols are generally very effective in killing small suckers, but they are characterized by a disgusting smell, which can be very annoying for farmers during the distribution on the cultivars, causing nausea, vomiting, suspension of work, etc. Furthermore people living in the surrounding areas may complain about the smell and limit the tobacco producer's ability to use this valuable chemical pinching agent in cultivation of his tobacco.
To overcome this problem new formulations have been developed containing n-decanol and a specialized polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate. These new formulations are effective at reducing odor without altering their biological activity and above all, without causing any negative side-effect on the characteristics of flue-cured tobacco leaves, which might be detrimental for cigarette manufacture. Attempts have surprisingly not been successful directed to modifying the n-decanol formulations to contain some flavoring substances which are supposed to mask the smell of fatty alcohols.